The Underground Railroad eBook

“My mistress promised me at another time forty
dollars for gathering honey, but when I went to her,
she said, by and by, but the by and by never came.
In 1853 my freedom was promised; for five years before
this time I had been overseer; during four years of
this time a visit was made to France by my owners,
but on their return my freedom was not given me.
My mistress thought I had made enough money to buy
myself. They asked eleven hundred and fifty dollars
for me. I told them that I hadn’t the money.
Then they said if I would go with them to Virginia
after a number of slaves they wished to purchase, and
would be a good boy, they would give me my freedom
on the return of the trip. We started on the
8th of June, 1857. I made fair promises wishing
to travel, and they placed all confidence in me.
I was to carry the slaves back from Virginia.

“They came as far as Baltimore, and they began
to talk of coming farther North, to Philadelphia.
They talked very good to me, and told me that if they
brought me with them to a free State that I must not
leave them; talked a good deal about giving me my
freedom, as had been promised before starting, etc.
I let on to them that I had no wish to go North; that
Baltimore was as far North as I wished to see, and
that I had rather be going home than going North.
I told them that I was tired of this country.
In speaking of coming North, they made mention of the
Alleghany mountains. I told them that I would
like to see that, but nothing more. They hated
the North, and I made believe that I did too.
Mistress said, that if I behaved myself I could go
with them to France, when they went again, after they
returned home—­as they intended to go again.

“So they decided to take me with them to Philadelphia,
for a short visit, before going into Virginia to buy
up their drove of slaves for Louisiana. My heart
leaped for joy when I found we were going to a free
State; but I did not let my owners know my feelings.

“We reached Philadelphia and went to the Girard
Hotel, and there I made up my mind that they should
go back without me. I saw a colored man who talked
with me, and told me about the Committee. He brought
me to the anti-slavery office,” etc., etc.,
etc.

The Committee told Jim that he could go free immediately,
without saying a word to anybody, as the simple fact
of his master’s bringing him into the State
was sufficient to establish his freedom before the
Courts. At the same time the Committee assured
him if he were willing to have his master arrested
and brought before one of the Judges of the city to
show cause why he held him a slave in Pennsylvania,
contrary to the laws of the State, that he should
lack neither friends nor money to aid him in the matter;
and, moreover, his freedom would be publicly proclaimed.

Jim thought well of both ways, but preferred not to
meet his “kind-hearted” master and mistress
in Court, as he was not quite sure that he would have
the courage to face them and stand by his charges.